“According to legend, the recipe for this delicious pastry came from a fifteenth-century parchment found among the fallen stones and rubble of a monastery in the area of Crocq, in the Creuse – one of the 83 departments created during the Revolution, when so many monasteries were destroyed. The monks cooked this creusois cake in ceramic tiles that were themselves creuses – hollow, concave, or curved…
Meltingly soft and tender, it is said that each morsel of the gateau creusois reveals the beauty, savory delight, and charm of its place of origin: La Creuse, in the heart of France”.
from French Country Cooking by Francoise Branget


French Hazelnut Meringue Cake
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
- 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
- 1/2 granulated sugar
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup hazelnuts, finely ground
- 6 egg whites
- 6 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted and cooled
Instructions
Preheat oven to 325F. Spray or oil an 8-inch cake pan and dust with flour.
In a medium bowl sift together the flour, the confectioner's sugar, ground hazelnuts, and salt. Mix well.
In a dry bowl, whisk egg whites for few minutes then add granulated sugar one tablespoon at the time and whisk more until form soft peaks. Combine the egg white mixture gently with dry ingredients. Add melted butter and gently mix together.
Pour mixture into prepared cake pan, and bake 25-30 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool at least 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack to finish cooling. Sift some confectioner's sugar over top of the cake. Slice and serve.

10 Comments
Rosa's Yummy Yums
December 11, 2014 at 6:52 amA delightful cake and lovely presentation.
Cheers,
Rosa
Medeja
December 11, 2014 at 11:41 amLooks so perfectly soft.. 🙂 nice cake for this festive season 🙂
La Table De Nana
December 11, 2014 at 1:44 pmSplendid Yelena!!
Dominique Allmon
December 11, 2014 at 2:51 pmFestive!!! Such a nice recipe for the holiday season, Yelena. Really worth trying!
Greetings! – Dominique
Angie Schneider
December 11, 2014 at 5:29 pmA fantastic foam cake…so light and moist!
Te de Ternura
December 12, 2014 at 11:27 amCon todos los ingredientes que lleva tu CAKE, adivino su esponjosidad y buen sabor.
UN ABRAZO YELENA se feliz :))))
sky_ dream
December 13, 2014 at 1:00 pmВосхитительные фотографии!
Anonymous
December 15, 2014 at 1:07 amNow I know what to do with all of my excess eggs! I might have to make 4 of them as I have at least 2 dozen too many eggs. I am sure I can find a friend or two to take one. Thank you for sharing this delicious recipe Yelena 🙂
Unknown
February 11, 2015 at 8:02 amAre the hazelnuts measured before being ground or after?
As in, one cup of ground hazelnuts, or one cup of whole hazelnuts which you grind afterwards.
Thank you!
melangery
February 11, 2015 at 1:35 pmNo problem, I cup hazelnuts, finely ground – one cup of whole hazelnuts, then you grind them. If you ever see one cup grounded hazelnuts – that's when you measure grounded. Make sense?-)) If you have more questions, I will be happy to help!!